The Marshall London is the smartphone for rockstars

You know you're not at a typical technology product launch when the speaker says their new product is going to "f*** [their competitors Apple and Samsung] in the arse". At least that's what the President of Zound, the company which partnered with Marshall Amplification to build the Marshall London, says it's going to do. This is an Android smartphone designed for rockstars, musicians and music lovers who want a phone that can play, record and even edit music better than the rest.

GQ got a chance to try it out at their launch event at the One Mayfair, sandwiched between performances of Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols and an appearance by Mick Jones of The Clash. Tim Cook, take note.

Here are the most impressive features of the Marshall London...

Marshall build quality

The phone is made with the same grippy black matte material you get on a Marshall amp. It feels great in the hand, and it's got a very solid scroll wheel to control the volume. It might even survive being chucked out of a hotel window (along with the TV).

It's got dual stereo speakers

We could clearly hear the sound from the front facing stereo speakers in a very loud and busy hall, which is impressive. Don't throw out your HiFi yet, but it should be more than loud enough if you're just playing a few tunes in a quiet room.

It has dual stereo headphone and input jacks

You can play music out of one port onto a set of speakers, and monitor the sound using the other jack. That makes impromptu DJ sets possible with not much more than your phone. Or simply share two sets of headphones, each with their own independent volume control.

A stereo microphone

Marshall claim the stereo mics are as good as dedicated audio recording gear. Perfect for surreptitiously recording that underground set, or picking up a simple riff you're working on.

Universal audio app control

Press a dedicated button on the top, and it quickly launches an app which allows you to control the different music apps you've got on your phone. The "universal control" music app also features a very clever universal equaliser which means you can set your levels and they'll be set across Spotify, Apple Music or any other music programme you've got on your phone.

It's still a decent smartphone

Underneath all that is a pretty decent smartphone running Android Lollipop, with 16GB of storage, a microSD card slot and a removable battery. But as Konrad Bergström, CEO of Zound Industries, says, "f*** the specs". It might not replace your main phone (yet), but it's shaping up to be a very good second phone if you like to play, listen to, or record music.